We’re big fans of Joanna’s cool stitched-on wrapping paper. “I got the idea from one of my mom’s sewing books,” she says. First, Joanna tried sewing a plaid pattern onto some brown paper stashed in her garage. Then, she got serious with some pinstripey paper from IKEA, and tried her hand with some Holoshimmer thread for extra sheen. “The bows are long strips of paper rolled together, fanned a bit, and wound with thread.” Joanna thinks the bows could use some perfecting, but we think they’re pretty cute as is.

Way to be inventive, Joanna! And thanks for the introduction to Holoshimmer thread, which looks like loads of fun.

p.s. Thanks to everyone who sent in their photos! Unfortunately, we can’t get ‘em all in before the holiday. We’ll get you next time.

Chelsea’s vintage-inspired garland is the kind it’s hard to image ever getting rid of. A self-proclaimed lover of glitter (who can blame her?), Chelsea opted to lace hers with vintage bird postcards this year … topped with glitter for sparkle, of course. “The cute snowflake was only $8 from Hip & Humble and is just the perfect size for my mirror,” she says. “It’s a very glittery display, indeed!”

At the right you see her idea for this year’s holiday card. Her baby girl Tate already had the candy-striped leggings “and cute personality to match,” and when paired with a bundle of lights, the idea was clear. “I’ll be using the greeting ‘May Your Days Be Merry and Bright’ with it,” says Chelsea.

We dare say that those who enter her home or receive her Christmas card will be delighted. (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.) Thanks for sharing, Chelsea! We love a girl that loves glitter.

How great are Caroline’s stockings recycled from old sweaters? We especially love the hand-stitched hollyberry flourishes. She says they’re fun and easy to make. And when she adds to the family, she can whip up another sweater stocking with ease. “If I want a different color, I can just make a new one next year,” she says. And even better when paired with that pom pom garland.

We smell the makings of a holiday tradition….

Rather than buy a large tree that’ll get tossed to the curb, Alyson in Portland opted to buy a fun little one that can be planted outside once Christmas is over. “It’s the cutest, two-and-a-half-foot Blue Spruce ever!,” she says. She created a base out of felt and topped the spruce with a gingham bow, and propped it on a small table. How cute is that? The tree will be placed in the yard of her boyfriend’s mother once January rolls around.

And, being a fan of both Julie Andrews and brown paper packages tied up with string, she’s recycling her paper shopping bags as gift wrap. Topped with various red strings (yarn, grosgrain, etc.), they come off as both cute and classic.

Way to set a good example, Alyson! We’ll be keeping this in mind for next year.

Check out how Jenilyn is decking her halls. She’s had that adorable wooden reindeer for as long as she can remember. And the trees? She made them herself. She says, and we quote, “It’s fun to see what you can do with a little styrofoam, tissue paper and wire.”

Way to be inventive, Jenilyn! And not forget your roots. Wishing all of us could be welcomed home to a sweet little reindeer like that during the holidays.

Emily credits her innovative, nostalgic and slightly glamorous mini Christmas tree to a) having a small space shared with roommates, and b) heading to her “real” home for the holidays. “So I decorate with a vintage button-and-earring tree, and presents,” she says. “My great grandmother had a similar one that I loved when I was little.”

Sounds and looks good to us! Emily purchased the base for her jewelry tree at a thrift store, but she supplied this link on eBay for the rest of us wanting to make a copycat or two. Then she covered every last inch of it with buttons and pearls and earrings she’s scouted out.

Thanks for sharing, Emily! So cool and creative and truly one-of-a-kind. We’re in love.

Update: OK, so Emily let us know that she didn’t exactly make the tree herself. She bought it as-is and gave it some updating and filling-in where needed … but who’s to say she couldn’t have done it just the way we said she did? Go for it.

You’ve got a good thing going on, and we’re all dying to see it. We want a peek at your holiday style! It could be your vintage-inspired tree (or your idea of one), the garland draping your mantle, your nice-and-easy homemade tree skirt, your genius ribbon-and-paper wrapping style—whatever it is you like best.

Share your ideas and strut your stuff. Send your photos to ali@yourheartout.com. We’ll be sharing ours too … once we get them in place! (Running a little behind, over here. What are our ornaments doing out there in the snow?)

Check out the favorite spot of our girl Emily C. This California lady lives in in a small flat with a roommate, thus her personal space is both minimal and treasured. We love Emily’s young-yet-sophisticated sense of style, and her knack for pairing pieces that don’t obviously belong together.

For starters, Emily repurposed an IKEA bathroom organizer as a mini dresser. We love the fresh paint pallette she employed. Resting atop the dresser are a mix of sculptural pieces that include antique ceramic alphabet letters and a broken piece of her friend Amanda’s artwork. Beneath all of this is what she calls her trusty “hold-everything treasure chest.”

The spot’s highlight is a piece of Emily’s newest artistic venture. The equestrian-inspired collage showcased on the wall features a frame of antique stamps and buttons offset with a trio of “saddle club” ribbons (none of which are actually hers). We’re hoping an Etsy shop is on its way. For now, skip on over to her blog and check out her bracelets.

Thanks for sharing, Emily!

A house built in 1948 didn’t know what hit it when YHO reader Christy B. got her hands on it. Away went the brown shag carpet, wood-paneled walls and scary linoleum. Now, Christy’s pad is bright, cheery and stylish. Homegirl’s got style.

Here’s one of her new favorite spots. We especially like how Christy made chic out of her family history with this display of ten shots in the Netherlands, where her mother were born. The images formerly belonged to her grandma.

And look what she’s done with her living room. Who wouldn’t want to do a little entertaining in this cool and airy spot, with its soft blue-meets-brown palette and flow of natural light. For extra impressiveness, check out the “before” pictures right here and here.

Thanks for sharing, Christy! Remember to send pics of your favorite spot to hello@yourheartout.com.

I work from home a lot these days. My small desk-without-a-chair and the lack of push-pinnable surface areas in my home office had me a bit lost and a bit unproductive. So with $300 in my pocket I set out to give the ol’ home office a cheap-and-cute makeover.

It is now one of my favorite spots. I covered 2′ x 4′ cork boards from Target with a poppy $12 curtain set from IKEA so I can pushpin to my heart’s delight. Also from IKEA, an extra-long $30 desk and $14 teal-colored chair. Spiffed up with some favorite relics like our Tri-Vane fan, Crosley radio, seashells from Costa Rica, vintage globe and the $1 IKEA mobile I’ve had forever, I feel right at home. Err, home office. (And I came in way under budget!)

Remember to send in photos of your favorite spot to hello@yourheartout.com. It doesn’t have to be an entire room—just give us a glimpse of a vantage point in your house that you like to see/be in each day. We’ll like to see it, too!

If you’re lucky enough to have your entire house (or townhouse, condo,—maybe even your bedroom or simply your closet) just the way you like it, we envy you. Though the entourage of glossies that arrives in your mailbox each month might have you think otherwise, most of us just have a few places in our homes that we call “just right.”

For Maeve, its the buffet/console/sideboard in her main room, dressed up with playful relics and a poppy Warhol print. Ali likes the little batch of modern handcloths, vintage ceramics, colorful soaps and minty candles that sweeten the counter of her small bathroom.

It might be your entire basement re-do, or the simple art spread you’ve created above your sofa. Whatever it is, we want to see it! Bringing the best of local (and non-local, too!) house-peeping right to your desktop, we ask that you send in photos of your favorite (cool, pretty, cute) spot in your house. Because we’re all looking for a dose of inspiration and love to share ideas.

Don’t forget to give us any additional info: the story behind your sleek porcelain birds or where you scored that Eames-esque rocking chair, and WHY you love this spot as much as you do.

You send the photos, we’ll post them. Send your pics to hello@yourheartout.com with “favorite spot” in the subject line.

The above image captures a colorful spot in Maeve’s turn-of-the-century bungalow. She scored the Warhol print at the Warhol Store, the “Coink” piggy bank from Karkula, and the shapely artichokes from Hip & Humble.

Thanks to everyone who sent in their photos and inspirations for our May Showers show-and-tell. We sleep better at night knowing that so many of you (guys included) still take the time and effort to support friends and loved ones by staying up all night to plan tablespreads, make homemade onesies, decorate picture-perfect cupcakes and think up actually-funny shower games. There’s nothing like a plate of sweets and a good laugh to make a soon-to-be-Mom feel like she’s taking a step in the right direction.

Aside from our congratulations to all those brides- and moms-to-be, we want to congratulate Emily C. as our “contest” winner. We loved her “Alice in Wonderland”-themed party for her friend, Alice, who is soon to get hitched. Some details:

• Blue and yellow color scheme (Alice’s favorite hues)
• Fun, atmosphere-making Asian lanterns overhead
• A fancy schmancy take on the PB&J, complete with piped peanut butter. How clever!
• Hip-to-be-square Photoshopped invitations featuring Alice’s pretty profile
• Teacup cookie favors complete with “eat me” tags

We think this is one party the Mad Hatter would approve of. Emily, you’ll soon be the owner of one Tissue Paper Pom Pom Kit. Because, let’s face it. Who doesn’t like pom poms? And who doesn’t like tissue paper?

We’ll be contacting you via e-mail soon.

As you may or may not know, we recently asked for submissions: photos of a shower you held or attended recently. We also asked for your ideas to be shared among all Your Heart Out readers. Hurry up, up, up; we want to brag about you and the deadline for entries is May 31. The winner (our favorite) gets a special shower-themed prize: think Martha Stewart. (Who else?)

Send entries to hello@yourheartout.com with “May Showers” in the subject line, pretty please.

We loved this one from Jamie Anne, so detailed it knocked our socks off:

I’m not a huge fan of theme-based parties (unless they’re simply carrying a lovely color theme throughout.) I just like fanciful, elegant, ribbon-adorned florally-abundant get-togethers that feel nice and sweet.

At such occasions, I often like to separate the meal table and the sweets and treats (aka dessert) table. I think a distinct separation between the two (if, of course, you are going with buffet-style serving) is the only way to go.

Here are my reasons:

• It makes it look like there’s a lot more food to be had.
• It shows more attention to detail and allows one to go into cute overload.
• If you only have one set of plates, and one buffet table, do you really expect people to sandwich their mint chocolate brownie and heart-shaped chocolate dipped cookie between the dressing-drenched salad and watery melon bits?

Mostly, I want things to pair up nicely: I’ve always wanted to create a dessert meal, if you will. Like some herbal tea with your lemon cookie. Or hot cocoa with your minty brownie. But, what to do in the summertime? Hot drinks will not do, and spritzy lemonade is gross with sweets. I think I found the ultimate solution: Drumroll, please: cupcakes (my specialty) and mini milkshakes. Who doesn’t love a good, fresh, fruity milkshake? And a cupcake to boot?

I’d do pink frosting with little white pearls or sprinkles—you could even do the cupcakes mini-size, just to make them more twee. Whip up some fruity milkshakes (for instance, strawberry) and pour them into small and skinny glasses. Top with a dallop of fresh whipped cream (or puff in a pastry bag), and insert color-coordinated straw. Ta-da!

A little web research taught me that I thought of the pairing (of course Martha was all over the mini milkshakes for a children’s party … and the doily, too, she really does think of everything). Still, since the combo of cupcakes and milkshakes is mine all mine, I’m claiming it as my own.

But thanks to Martha for the pictures!